Lagerstroemia (indica×fauriei) plant named ‘JD818’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Lagerstroemia  ( indica×fauriei ) plant named ‘JD818’, characterized by its unique blooming time, dense, broad and spreading to weeping growth habit, fast growth rate and attractive lavender flowers is disclosed.

Genus species: Lagerstroemia (indica×fauriei).

Varietal denomination: ‘JD818’.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Crapemyrtle of the genus Lagerstroemia and member of the Lythraceae family. This new Crapemyrtle variety, hereinafter referred to as ‘JD818’, was discovered by John McNair Davy in May, 1997 in Milton, Fla. ‘JD818’ is characterized by its unique blooming time, dense, broad and spreading to weeping growth habit, fast growth rate, and attractive lavender flowers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘JD818’ was found in a cultivated area as an openly pollinated seedling in a group of Lagerstroemia (indica×fauriei) ‘Yuma’ (unpatented) seedling plants being grown in a controlled environment in outside nursery in Milton, Fla. and was subsequently tested and evaluated primarily in Milton, Fla. and Loxley, Ala. The references in this application to these various evaluations will refer primarily to these two locations. The objective of the breeding program was to create new Crapemyrtle varieties which have unique blooming periods, bloom colors, and growth habits.

Asexual propagation of the new plant by cuttings has been under Mr. Davy's direction and control in Milton, Fla. and Loxley, Ala. The new plant retains its distinctive characteristics and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction. The plant cannot be reproduced true from seed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices.

-   -   1. Deciduous, multiple, or single stemmed shrub to small tree.     -   2. Dense, broad, spreading to weeping in nature.     -   3. Fast growth rate under normal fertilization and moisture         conditions.     -   4. Unique blooming from early spring into fall.     -   5. A lavender flower color Purple Group 76A.     -   6. Mature foliage changes to an attractive yellow color in the         fall.     -   7. Attractive trunk structure when lower limbs are removed.     -   8. The grayish colored bark exfoliates to reveal a beige         coloration.     -   9. Attractive trunk and stem structure during the winter.     -   10. Adaptable to a wide range of soil types from acidic to         alkaline and sand to clay.     -   11. Heat and drought tolerant.     -   12. Easily propagated with softwood cuttings in the spring and         summer.     -   13. Tolerates full sun.     -   14. Hardy to Zone 7.     -   15. Relatively pest resistant.     -   16. Good specimen plant.     -   17. Very desirable in planters     -   18. Requires little pruning but is tolerant if pruning is         needed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This new Lagerstroemia hybrid variety is illustrated by the accompanying photographic prints in which:

FIG. 1 is a photograph of a close-up of the flowers of the new Lagerstroemia hybrid cultivar of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a photograph showing the dense broad spreading to weeping growth habit of a young three gallon (11.4 liter) plant of the new Lagerstroemia hybrid cultivar of the present invention.

The colors shown are as true as is reasonably possible to obtain by conventional photographic procedures. Colors in the photographs may appear different than actual colors due to light reflectance. The colors of the various plant parts are defined with reference to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 edition. Description of colors in ordinary terms are presented where appropriate for clarity in meaning.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of the new variety of Crapemyrtle based on observations made of two year old plants grown in one to three gallon (3.8-11.4 Liter) containers in wholesale commercial production practices, in greenhouses, and in established landscape plantings.

-   Distinctive characteristics:

TABLE 1 Lagerstroemia x ‘Gamed V’ Lagerstroemia x Lagerstroemia x U.S. Plant Characteristic ‘JD818’ ‘Yuma’ Pat. No. 17,411 Height 6-10′ (1.8-3 m) 15-18′ (4.5-5.4 m) 3-4′ (0.9-1.2 m) (Mature) Width 6-10′ (1.8-3 m) 15-18′ (4.5-5.4 m) 3-4′ (0.9-1.2 m) (Mature) Leaf Length 1¼-1⅞″ 1½-2 ¾″ 1⅝″ (3.2-4.7 cm) (3.8-7 cm) (4.2 cm) Leaf Width ⅝- 15/16″ ¾-1⅜″ 13/16″ (1.6-2.4 cm) (1.9-3.5 cm) (2.1 cm) Flower Color Purple G. 76A Violet G. 84B Red-Purple G. 738 Bloom Period Mid Late June to Late June to May-September September September (Approx. 120 days) (Approx. 90 days) (Approx. 90 days) Growth Habit Dense, broad Dense, upright, Compact, broad and spreading rounded and rounded to weeping Bark Color Greyed Brown Greyed Orange Greyed-White G. 199C G. 177B G. 156A

Lagerstroemia hybrid ‘Yuma’ (unpatented) and Lagerstroemia hybrid ‘Gamad V’ U.S. Pat. No. 17,411 are well known in the industry and are comparable to ‘JD818’ in that all are deciduous and can be maintained as either a shrub or small tree. However, there are many differences. The growth habit of ‘JD818’ is dense, broad and spreading to weeping and 6-10′ (1.8-3 m) tall compared to ‘Yuma’ which is a much taller grower to 15′-18′ (4.5-5.4 m) with a more upright and rounded habit. ‘Gamad V’ has a mature height of 3-4′ (0.9-1.2 m), has a compact mounded growth habit and pink flowers.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Lagerstroemia (indica×fauriei) ‘JD818’.         -   Parentage.—Openly pollinated seedling of Lagerstroemia             (indica×fauriei) ‘Yuma’.         -   Commercial.—Deciduous tree or shrub.         -   Form.—Dense, broad, spreading to weeping.         -   Height.—6′-10′ (1.8-3 m).         -   Width.—6′-10′ (1.8-3 m).         -   Growth rate.—Fast under normal fertilization and moisture             conditions. Softwood cuttings taken in the spring and summer             produce cuttings in 1 to 2 months. Root development is             vigorous and finely branched. These 6″ (15 cm) tall cuttings             planted in 3 gallon (11.4 liter) containers in the fall are             16″ to 20″ (41-51 cm) tall with profuse flowering the             following year. The plant normally grows at the rate of             about 10″ to 14″ (25-35 cm) per year and reaches a height of             6′ to 10′ (1.8-3 m) and a spread of 6′ to 10′ (1.8-3 m) at             maturity while maintaining a dense habit due to the abundant             branch development.         -   Foliage.—Alternate to subopposite, simple, deciduous,             elliptic and varying in size from 1¼″ to 1⅞″ (3.2-4.7 cm)             long and ⅝″ to 15/16″ (1.6-2.4 cm) wide. The apex is acute             and the base is cuneate. The margins are entire and the leaf             venation is pinnate. The petioles are 1/16″ to ⅛″             (0.2-0.3 cm) long, 1/32″ (0.08 cm) in diameter and             puberulent. Midveins and laterals are puberulent and             prominent on the upper surface and undersurface. Immature             petioles, upper surface midveins and leaf margins are             Greyed-Red Group 182B. The petioles mature to Green Group             137B and the margins mature to Yellow-Green Group 147A.             Immature lateral veins are Yellow-Green Group 146D upper             surface and undersurface and mature to Yellow-Green Group             146C upper surface and undersurface. Immature midveins are             also Yellow-Green Group 146D undersurface. Mature midveins             are Yellow-Green Group 146C upper surface and undersurface.             These immature foliage colors last three to four weeks. The             upper surface of the immature leaves is glossy, glabrous and             is Green Group 137C and the underside is Yellow-Green Group             146D. This immature foliage matures to Green Group 137A             upper surface and Green Group 146B undersurface in one to             two weeks. Mature upper surface is glossy and glabrous and             the undersurface is matte. Mature foliage color persists             until the onset of cool weather in the fall. At this point             the leaf color changes to Yellow Group 13B and persist until             the leaves fall. Initial spring growth occurs in March.             After the initial spring flush there is almost continuous             growth until fall ending in about late October or early             November. When grown in full sun, the internode length of             this plant is ½″ to ⅞″ (1.3-2.2 cm), when grown in light             shade the internode length is 1″ to 1½″ (2.6-3.8 cm). As             would be expected, a plant grown in shade results in a             taller, less dense plant with larger leaves.         -   Stems.—The young shoots are slender, angled, glabrous and             have a reddish pigmentation, Greyed-Red Group 182B when             exposed to direct sunlight. Young shoots which are shaded             from direct sunlight are Yellow-Green Group 144B. This new             growth becomes Brown Group 200D and rounded in four to five             weeks. After one or more years the stems become smooth,             sinewy, Greyed-Brown Group 199B and eventually begin to             exfoliate revealing the underlying color Greyed-Brown Group             199C. Branching habit is heavy. The pith is solid and             uniform.         -   Flowers.—Perfect, 1¼″ to 1¾″ (3.1-4.4 cm) in diameter, ⅝″ to             ⅞″ (1.6-2.2 cm) in depth, non-fragrant, borne on dense,             upright glabrous, 5″ to 7″ (12.7-17.8 cm) high, 4″ to 5″             (10.2-12.7 cm) wide terminal panicles, on current season's             growth from mid-May through September. Flowers normally open             from the base of the panicle progressing upward. Each             panicle has from 8 to 12 racemes which have from 3 to 18             flowers each, resulting in 200 or more flowers per panicle.             A mature plant can have hundreds of panicles. Flower buds             are rotund, ¼″ to ⅜″ (0.6-0.9 cm) long, ¼″ to ⅜″             (0.6-0.9 cm) wide and Greyed-Red Group 182B when exposed to             direct sunlight. Young buds which are shaded from direct             sunlight are Yellow-Green Group 144B. Flower color is Purple             Group 76A front and back. The flowers are attached to             pedicels which are ¼″ to 7/16″ (0.6-1.1 cm) in length,             smooth, glabrous and Yellow-Green Group 144B. The peduncle             of each raceme is from 1″ to 4¼″ (2.5-10.8 cm) long,             tomentose and Yellow-Green Group 144B. Each flower has six             petals that are ¾″ (1.9 cm) long, ⅝″ (1.6 cm) wide; the             blade is cordate-orbicular and crisped. The flower has 35 to             36 stamens in a cluster, 30 of which are shorter ⅜″ (0.9 cm)             long and located in the center. There are 5 to 6 longer ⅝″             (1.6 cm) stamens which are located around the outside. The             shorter stamens are Yellow-Green Group 150D and the longer             stamens are Purple Group 76D. The anthers are Yellow Group             20B. The pollen matures to Yellow Group 13B. The single             pistil is ¾″ (1.9 cm) long and Purple Group 76D. The ovary             is single, 1/16″ (0.2 cm) in diameter, with no pubescence             and Yellow-Green Group 150C. Each flower has six sepals that             are 3/16″ (0.5 cm) long by ⅛″ (0.3 cm) wide, lanceolate and             fused into a calyx. The calyx is ⅜″ to ½″ (0.9-1.3 cm) in             diameter, ⅜″ to 7/16″ (0.9-1.1 cm) in depth, has entire             margins and acuminate tips. The outer surface of the calyx             is Greyed-Red Group 182B when exposed to direct sunlight and             Yellow-Green Group 144B when shaded from direct sunlight.             The inner surface is Yellow-Green Group 145C. Flowering             period is from mid May through September. The self-cleaning             blooms last eight to ten days on the plant in the garden.         -   Fruit.—Broad-ellipsoidal six-valved dehiscent capsule, ⅜″ to             ½″ (0.9-1.3 cm) in diameter. Summer fruit color Yellow-Green             Group 143C ripens to Green Group 137A in the fall and             persists as Green Group 137A through the winter. The mature             capsule opens in the fall to release 12-16 glabrous winged             seeds which are 3/16″ to ¼″ (0.5-0.6 cm) long and Brown             Group 200D. Normal fruitset is heavy.         -   Culture.—Grows well in a wide range of conditions. Tolerates             full sun. Adaptable to a wide range of soil types from             acidic to alkaline and sand to clay. Tolerates heat and             drought when established. Responds well to mulching and             medium applications of fertilizer. Very little pruning is             needed. Ideal for coastal regions and warmer parts of the             Piedmont. Cold-hardiness and resistance to diseases and             insects are comparable to the parent variety. Propagated             with softwood cuttings in the spring and summer.         -   Disease and insect resistance.—Resistance to diseases and             insects common to Lagerstroemia has not been observed.

The exemplary embodiments herein disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Lagerstroemia plant named ‘JD818’ as illustrated and described herein. 